No cake in the break room
by Tess84
Summary: I was watching the ep. ‘Ellie’ from season two, and something Grissom said to Warrick stuck with me. Based on spoilers for ‘Leaving Las Vegas’.


**AN: I was watching the ep. 'Ellie' from season two, and something Grissom said to Warrick stuck with me. Based on spoilers for 'Leaving Las Vegas'. This story is not beta'd, so any mistakes are mine. Please let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.**

**No cake in the break room**

Sara pulled into the parking lot outside Grissom's town house. She had gone home after shift to get some sleep, but since they both had the evening off, she had decided to surprise him with a movie. Walking up to the front door, she pressed the button to lock the car.

She knocked, but didn't wait for him to open. He had given her a key a couple of weeks ago, and encouraged her to use it. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside.

Right away, something felt off. It wasn't the fact that all the lights were out, or that his favourite shoes weren't right inside the door, like they always were. No, it was a feeling, deep inside her.

He wasn't there. And not in the 'out to run an errand' kind of way.

Dropping the keys on the side table by the door, she ventured further into the house. The minute she entered the living room, her eyes fell on an envelope on the coffee table with her name on it.

She reached out to take it, realizing that her hand was shaking. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before grabbing the envelope. She ripped it open and pulled out a piece of paper, scattered with his hand writing.

_Sara_

_I know this is not the way to tell you this, and I do wish that I could have done the right thing and talked to you. But this is the way I am, and I know you love me in spite of all my quirks._

_During the past couple of months, I have slipped further and further into the darkness that surrounds our line of work. I know you have noticed it too, because you have asked me about it on several occasions. I didn't have the strength to tell you what was really going on, but I think you figured it out on your own._

_I was burning out. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have made it past that horrible moment in the hospital when the life of my friend was placed in my hands. It's because of you that I have made it through the last couple of months without breaking down completely, and I hope you know how much that means to me._

_I love you, Sara, please don't ever doubt that. No matter how much of a jerk I am being right now._

_A few weeks ago, I received an offer to teach a ten week graduate class at William's college. The letter came as a saving grace, spreading light in the darkness that was threatening to swallow me whole. I think I knew from the moment I read the words that I would accept the offer, but I needed to think it through. For us. Our relationship is still so new and fragile, and I wasn't sure if it would survive ten weeks apart. But you have proved to me, time and again, that it would._

_I know that I should have talked to you about this before accepting the position, and I wanted to. But I knew what you would say. Go. Do what you need to do and then come back to me. Because you knew how bad it was, you were there through the sleepless days and the nightmares. You even suggested, last week, remember, that I take a couple of weeks off._

_You would have encouraged me to take the opportunity to get away for a while, and I would have. Even if it wasn't the right thing to do._

_What I'm trying to say is that I needed to make the decision on my own. I needed to know that I was doing what was best for me, and for us, in my mind. _

_Then why didn't I talk to you after I made my decision? I think you know the answer to that. I'm not good at goodbyes, and I hate them. I know you do too. So don't think of this as goodbye, because it's not. Not unless you want it to be, in which case I wouldn't blame you after the way I've behaved._

_Think of this as a new start. For me, and for us. I plan to come back to Vegas a revitalized man, hopefully more of the man you deserve. _

_Get mad, curse my name, throw things – in fact, my china is at your disposal – but please try to understand. This, me leaving, has nothing to do with me not wanting to be with you. God, I miss you already, and I haven't even left yet. I am doing this because I think that not only I, but we need it. I don't know what will happen if I keep going down the path I'm headed, but I know it wouldn't be a pleasant place, for either of us. It's not a place I want to end up in, and I definitely don't want to drag you down there with me. Please believe that I am doing this so we can finally get started on our future together._

_I understand that you will need time to adjust to this situation, and that's OK. All I ask is when you have made up your mind, whether it be good or bad, that you call me. I'll be waiting by the cell phone to hear from you._

_Love_

_Gil_

Sara read the entire letter twice more before finally putting it back in the envelope. As she sat down on the couch, she realized that she wasn't entirely surprised. If anything, she was relieved that he still wanted her in his life.

She had seen the downward spiral that Grissom had been caught in since Brass was shot. She had also noticed a slight improvement over the past couple of weeks. He had gotten back some of the light in his eyes, and she had hoped that whatever it was that caused him to pause on his way down, would be powerful enough to pull him back up as well.

Maybe it was.

He needed this time off, away from the lab and from Vegas, to get back to himself. She knew that. Yes, it pissed her off that he hadn't discussed this with her, they were in a relationship after all, but on the other hand, she wasn't too sure what she would have done if the tables had been turned.

Once, in the very beginning of their relationship, he had told her that he never wanted to say goodbye to her. She had taken it to mean that he never wanted their relationship to end, but he had apparently meant it in a more literal way.

Reading the last couple of lines again, Sara felt a smile spread on her face. She didn't need time to adjust to anything. They would be on opposite ends of the country, true, but their relationship was still as strong as ever. This break might even be good for them, giving them a chance to miss each other. They would get through this.

With that thought in mind, she pulled her cell from her pocket and hit the speed dial. He answered after the first ring, and when she heard his voice, the smile widened.

"Hey."

**The end**

**AN: The line that got this whole thing started; _"When I leave CSI, there won't be any cake in the break room. I'll just be gone."_**


End file.
